Heavy Rains Cause Flash Floods in Three Chiang Rai Districts

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CHIANG RAI – A flash flood has hit three districts in the northern province of Chiang Rai, burying hundreds of houses and facilities in mud.

Heavy downpour has caused the river in Phan district to overflow and flood the embankments as well as nearby homes, roads and farmlands. The latest amount of rain recorded in Mae Or sub-district was 189 millimeters high.

Villagers and local officials of Tha Ko Sub-district today helped medical staff clear the community hospital of mud and scraps of timber brought by the flash flood from Doi Lan mountain on Thursday night.

Tha Ko Sub-district Administrative Organization reported today that more than 200 houses, two bridges and farming areas in five villages were badly damaged. Residentsâ€™ possessions were also swept away by the flash flood or left covered in mud.

According to Chiang Rai Governor Boonsong Techamaneesatit, a survey by Chiang Rai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office found that flooding had hit more than 500 houses in the districts of Mae Suai, Wiang Pa Pao and Phan.

Though the flash flood has subsided, residents in risk-prone areas still have to remain on the alert as rainfall continues.